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Amma's PNW Region

Amma

Virtual Maha Shivaratri Celebration
“Shivaratri teaches us to abandon all other thoughts in contemplation of God.” - Amma

Amma

Save The Date:  Thursday, March 11
5pm - Midnight PST

www.youtube.com/MACenterSanRamon

Check the MA Center website for more information as details are finalized: 
https://amma.org/groups/north-america/ma-center-san-ramon/events

Q&A with Br. Dayamrita Chaitanya

Swamiji, I wonder how Amma reassures us that She has us for eternity? I do not ever think that I will attain realization in this lifetime. I want to know if She has me forever?

Amma has said many times that no matter how many births She has to take, She will be with us. She will lead us by holding our hands. The only thing we need to do is not leave Her hand and go away. Then She cannot do anything. Our love for Amma is our connection with Her. The moment we close our hearts, that connection is gone. Then even when She tries to enter our heart, She cannot. As long as we have that love, that reverence for Amma, She will not let us go. She will always be with us.
 
The scriptures say that the Guru's words are not merely ornamental, and the Guru's words become the scripture.

Amma being a true and perfect master, will never let us go. Amma gives us that guarantee She will be with us. I remember the story of a disciple who kept putting off his chance to live with the Guru saying that he had to look after his parents. When the Guru called him a few years later, he said he was now married and had to look after his wife and children. He kept on postponing saying that he had to take care of his grandchildren and so on. He finally died and was reborn as a dog in the same family because of his attachment. The Guru comes to visit the family and calls to the dog to come with Him but the dog refuses, saying that he had to guard the house. The dog dies and is reborn as a snake in the same family. The Guru visits the family again and sees the snake on top of the money locker safeguarding it. The Guru catches the snake, puts it in a basket and takes it with Him. The Guru knows how to catch us and will catch us no matter what.

Protecting Mother Nature
Through Action, Education and Awareness

"All of nature, the grass, the insects, the trees, animals and people, are parts of a greater whole...  When we humans fall in love with nature, she will fall in love with us."
- Amma

Amma

Amma asks each of us to take more responsibility for serving nature.  Within the parameters of Amma’s green initiatives, amma.org/global-charities/green-initiatives, what are you doing to make positive changes in your own life?


Making Way For GodAchala, Woodinville, WA

“The amazing joy and surrender that comes with going through all the items in my life and deciding whether or not they have served their purpose.

When you hold onto things, the stuff is stagnating the flow of the river.  What you’re actually telling Amma is that you don’t trust her to give you exactly what you need in the very moment when you need it.  When you get the clutter out of your life, the river is allowed to flow without obstacles.  Everything is divinely perfect just as it is.” 

Planting Seeds and Feeding BirdsAjayya, Maltby, WA

“I’m just about to start seedlings indoors for my vegetable garden.  I’m planting peas and beans and squash, and whatever else I have room for!

Also, I’m regularly putting out suet (high energy food) for my bird friends.  I’ve had huge pileated woodpeckers feeding regularly, as well as downy and red-headed woodpeckers!”

Cedar Seedlings Find A New HomeVandya H. and Eswar, Port Townsend, WA

     Gardening 

About three years ago Vandya and I noticed a bunch of young Cedar seedlings growing up in our blueberry patch in the wood chip mulch.  We knew the blueberries would not be happy if we let those trees grow up there.  So during the following dormant winter months I dug up what seedlings I could and put them in 1 gallon pots in the shade of our house.  We ended up with over 80+ seedlings in pots.  Last year I put 17 in the Alder forest on the west side of our property.  Cedar is shade tolerant and is much longer lived then the Alder trees.  It was my hope for a slow transition from short lived alder forest to a longer lasting conifer forest. This year Jayanand and Surabhi came to the rescue and helped us plant an additional 20+ trees on both sides of our property.  One challenge we face is our deer population.  Each tree required a 5' fence around it to protect it until it was tall enough to be above the browse line. We deeply mulched each tree with wood chips to help get them through the dry summer months.  We hope to get another batch planted next month.  It's sweet to see our little seedlings in their new homes!


Forests play the most important role in maintaining nature’s harmony.  Each country should try to protect its remaining forests and plant as many trees as possible. Individually, we should each make a vow to plant one tree a month so that in a year, each person would plant 12 trees." - Amma

Submissions Gratefully Accepted to the monthly Protecting Mother Nature article.
What small and large steps you are taking to honor and protect Mother Nature?
Send submissions here: ammapnwregion@ammagroups.org

Classic Amma Videos

Join folks from the region to watch “classic” Amma videos! 
Feel free to join a hearty discussion after the video.

Weekly Amma Videos
Tuesdays at 1 pm PST

 This is a weekly offering hosted by Amma’s Vancouver, BC Satsangs. 
Visit amma.org/groups/north-america/vancouver-bc-satsang/events for schdules and details on registration.

Please no copying of videos.

NEW IAM Courses - March 2021

Amma

IAM-35 Refresher
Strengthen your IAM practice with this refresher course!  Ask questions, clarify and deepen your understanding of the technique, and be guided through the steps of practice.  Many who have attended Refresher Courses have found that they gained a great intellectual and experiential boost to their IAM practice.

Saturday, March 13
2:00 - 4:00 pm
To register, contact: kumudakali@gmail.com
Reminder: Refresher courses are for IAM-35 graduates only.

IAM-20 Course
For those new to IAM-20

Sunday, March 14
9:00 am - 12:30pm
To register, contact: Sreemayi

For more upcoming IAM Courses and Guided practice sessions
https://amma.org/groups/north-america/projects/iam-meditation-classes

Amma

Laughter Medicine

 

Why couldn’t the leopard play hide and seek with Amma?
Because he was always spotted!
- Shawn, Seattle/Florida

 

Got a joke or two to share?  Send to ammapnwregion@ammagroups.org.

More Happenings

For weekly vintage Amma videos, IAM refresher classes please see the 
PNW Events Calendar and the Virtual Events Portal.

Amma

Everyone has a direct hotline to God. The strength of your connection depends on the fervor of your call.
- Amma

Ways to Contribute
Newsletter Content

Aum  
  • Share with readers what you are doing to serve nature, in the Protecting Mother Nature: Through Action, Education and Awareness section!
  • How about contributing a joke for Laughter Medicine?
  • Have you written an original poem or song lyrics for the Creativity Around the PNW section?
  • Do you have a favorite Amma quote or bhajan to share?
Our PNW Regional Newsletter comes out twice a month.  Please send submissions by the 10th & 24th of every month to:
 

Contact us at ammapnwregion@ammagroups.org.
You can catch up on missed emails at Amma's PNW Newsletter Archive.


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